


Tokens of Affection

by yuzuki_chan



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Academy Era, Established Relationship, F/M, Vulcan Flirting (if such a thing exists)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-16
Updated: 2015-10-16
Packaged: 2018-04-26 15:39:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5010343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yuzuki_chan/pseuds/yuzuki_chan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Valentine's Day at Starfleet Academy has left Nyota annoyed. Spock makes her feel better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tokens of Affection

Nyota always considered herself a reasonable person. A perfectionist and an overachiever, maybe, but she still liked to let lose like every other cadet. Go party like every other cadet. Find love like every other cadet. 

But she could swear this movie was mocking her. 

And not just the movie, Gaila was too. She had chosen the antique old thing and thrown a party in the computer lab. All her friends were invited, and they'd brought their significant others, and now Nyota was stuck in the middle of a love fest, with a romantic drama, surrounded by red paper hearts and boxes of chocolate.

How did this holiday even survive Earth's paradigm shift to anti-materialism anyway? 

As the movie came to some cliche climactic scene with the two star-crossed lovers finally able to spend time together against the odds, Nyota wanted to roll her eyes. But the plot of the movie resonated too much. She felt her heart twinge. She hated that she couldn't bring Spock with her to this, that she couldn't be with him in public without calling him Commander. It wasn't as if she wanted an overt relationship, PDA was so not her thing, she had chosen to be involved with a Vulcan after all. But she wanted to feel like a proper girlfriend, sometimes. She just, wanted to be able to talk to Gaila about it, to be able to flirt with him on campus, get lunch together. 

There were days when she really hated this. 

When the credits started to roll, Nyota snuck out of the room, not that it took a lot of effort. Everyone was otherwise engaged. It was late in the evening, and she knew Spock was likely in his quarters. But after waiting at his door for a few minutes, she made her way over to his office, perhaps he was working late. But she didn't find him there either. Nor was he in the programming lab, the Kobayashi Maru room, or the long-range sensor center. 

Defeated, lonely, and more than a little pissed off at all the ridiculous pink decorations strewn across campus, Nyota headed back to her own room, swallowing the tears that prickled her eyes. Stupid holiday, with its stupid romantic overtones and obligatory cutesyness. Just to spite it she'd go back and do homework and ignore the urge to ping Spock the second she walked in the door.

Nyota stopped short when she saw him leaning against the wall outside her room, a PADD in one hand and a bouquet of roses under his arm. Her heart started fluttering as she slowly walked closer to him. 

"Commander?" she said tentatively.

"Nyota," Spock responded, as he handed her the bouquet. "I have realized it is custom on this day to give tokens of affection to those with whom one has a close relationship."

It took her a moment to process that Spock had bought her roses, but then her face broke out the biggest smile of the night. Nyota felt the tears fill her eyes again, but this time for an entirely different reason.

"Have I offended you?"

"No, Spock, not at all," she smiled as she clutched the flowers close to her. "Thank you."

"You are exhibiting signs of distress."

"I'm happy you're here, that's all. I looked everywhere for you."

"I attempted to contact you, but you did not answer my pages. I thought it only logical to wait until curfew to see you."

"I left my communicator in my room, I'm—wait. What if someone saw you here? With these?" Suddenly she wasn't so concerned about being in a public relationship. She didn't want to lose what they had, and if the Academy board found out there could be serious repercussions. 

Spock stared at her a moment, studying her, before he said anything. "Our relationship is a burden to you."

"What? No, no—"

"Your comment implies that you would be upset if others were to see us in anything other than a teacher-student capacity."

"That's not what I meant. Ultimately, I would like to be more public with our relationship, but that's unreasonable to expect. And I know that, it just gets hard sometimes."

"Would you like to end our relationship?"

"No!" Nyota took a step forward, squishing the flowers between them. "Spock, no, I don't want to break up with you. I'm just worried that one day you're going to realize jeopardizing our careers isn't worth it, or that you'd rather not have the responsibility of—"

"I understand your distress. I, too, hope that in the future I might be able to do this whenever I please."

And then he kissed her. Spock didn't typical initiate their physical encounters, but when he did it was always with purpose. In this case, he sought to reassure her with his hand on her hip and his fingers caressing her cheek. 

"And then you go and so something like this, and I really don't care about anyone else," Nyota said, smiling with her eyes still closed.

"It is customary to engage in physical endearments with one's beloved on Valentine's Day."

Nyota circled her arms around Spock's neck and pulled herself flush up against him.

"It is, is it?"

She kissed him lightly at first, but soon her mouth was devouring his while his hands found their way underneath her uniform to the bare skin of her lower back. As the kiss deepened even further, Nyota found herself clinging to Spock, refusing to let go. He pulled her tighter against him, sensing her desire to held closer. They stood there embracing each other unconcerned with any potential witnesses until he pulled his mouth away.

"I do believe, however, further activities would best be continued inside your dormitory."

"I agree. As it were, I have a token of affection for you that is best kept between the two of us."

Nyota immediately spun out of Spock's arms and opened her door. Maybe she could learn to like this holiday after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Valentine's Day Drabble-a-thon at spock_uhura (on LJ)
> 
> Prompt by theworldsforgot (on LJ): Spock and Uhura watch some romantic movie that features a couple who have to keep their love a secret and/or involve disapproving parents or society (idk, something like Romeo + Juliet or The Notebook). Things hit a little too close to home and that triggers some insecurity about their relationship, but they obviously get over it and that leads to fun sexy times. 
> 
> Originally posted [here](http://spock-uhura.livejournal.com/1013350.html?thread=10097766#t10097766) on February 9, 2011.


End file.
